BUFFALO, N.Y. — March Madness and St. Patrick's Day festivities aren't the only big events happening this weekend in Buffalo. There's also going to be a little friendly rivalry on the ice Friday night at LECOM Harborcenter.
The hockey game between the Buffalo Police Department and Buffalo Fire Department is part of the Blue Line for Buffalo event. In addition to the matchup on the ice, there will be a silent auction, basket raffles, games, a K9 demonstration, and more.
The event is Friday, March 18 at 6 p.m. Money raised benefits the Buffalo Police Department's K9 unit. Tickets are $15 each plus fees.
"These dogs do the work of multiple officers on any given day. They do it unconditionally. They don't ask for anything in return. They just want to please their handlers. We ask so much of them that this is just so important to give back to them," said co-organizer Casey McCrossan.
The first Blue Line for Buffalo event was in March 2020 — just before the pandemic forced other events to cancel. The fundraiser took a year off in 2021, but it's back again. Organizers raised $7,500 the first year and are on track to beat that in 2022.
"This is super important to me. I grew up in law enforcement, my whole family [was in law enforcement]. That's all I've known my entire life, and being a hospital administrator for an animal hospital, I'm super passionate about that. So [I'm] just tying everything together. Working with all of these K9s and these handlers, they've become like a second family to me," said co-organizer Dawn Parana.
The money raised is used for K9 equipment, training, and a portion was even used to purchase a new K9 for the department. Since the money is specifically for the K9 unit, it helps them get what they need faster because they're not always waiting to find money in the regular budget.
This year's event is dedicated to fallen BPD K9 Hydro, who died unexpectedly in November 2021. He was 8 years old and had been with the police department since March of 2017.
Hydro first worked with Officer James Duffy, who retired in 2018. Hydro was then partnered with Officer Stephen Mikac.
"He just loved going to work. Every morning I would get up, he would be jumping in his crate, hitting his head off the top. It was a 6 ft. high crate, and he was jumping around and couldn't wait to get in the back of the car to go to work," said Officer Mikac. "I worked with Hydro for four years. He was a fun loving dog, loved everybody. He was always looking to get his belly rubbed by everybody."
Officer Mikac has a new K9 partner joining the department's other K9s, Justice and Paddy (named for fallen Buffalo Police Officer Patty Parete).
The department will reveal Officer Mikac's partner's name soon.
Click here to purchase a ticket.